Post by CableZ on Feb 23, 2014 3:44:13 GMT
Knowledge of the once great Ibex empire is all but lost. Myths and legends are all that exist in the present day and even these are known by but a handful of people. While most are completely unaware of their existence, those that do know seem to widely deny the Ibex ever existed. This of course is not the case and the Ibex Empire was once a vast Mecca of nature and progress in the civilized world. It is not known what happened to this great race but what this knowledge base can tell you is what they were once like. It will take you back in time and teach you of the powers of this race and what they accomplished before their disappearance almost 7 and a half thousand years ago.
2. Power.
3. Culture.
╪ Language.
╪ Gender Roles.
╪ Ethnicity.
╪ Philosophy and spirituality.
╪ Music and art.
╪ Science and Technology.
╪ Education.
4.Family and Kinship.
The Ibex are a sturdy people, built for harsh climates and inhospitable lands. They stand tall and strong, towering over most creatures of the land with ease. Its hard to put a definitive number on the strength levels of the average Ibex, because as with any race it tends to be the individual that defines it. However it is easy to say that the Ibex are taller and stronger than the average pony and due to the large stride and stamina, often faster. With this large size comes a strength to match, being able to carry themselves and several loads for mile after mile. Another noticeable trait of their physiology is their thick fur their covers most of their bodies, providing a hearty warmth from cold and snow and most of the extreme colds that the Ibex would face in their homeland. The Ibex coat is not like a ponies however; not being so varied in colour, most Ibex are firmly within the palette of grey but this is not exclusive. Some coats can be radically deep or bright colours, some being dark black and others being pure white, it is worth noting that it is usually males and females who have those radicals respectively.
Male and Female are easy to tell apart in most cases but in cases not for the reasons you might suspect. Females often stand at equal height to their male counterparts and in some cases can be taller and of course vice versa, this goes the same for strength as well. However unlike the case of the Equine race of Ponies, the number of females that can out perform males in feats of strength or in natural height is far more equal to the number of males. What can easily tell a female apart from a male are three easily noticeable aesthetic differences. The first of these being their facial structure; Not being as rigid as a males, which females often having slender jaw lines and slightly more pronounced cheek bones. The second major difference comes with fur; naturally having a softer coat than the males that is not as messy, the females natural fur is a sleek looking straight coat that combined with their facial and muscle structure lends most of them a beauty that is hard to match. The third and final major noticeable difference from males is the female Ibex's horns; being shorter in length and lass curved overall, the female's horns are no less impressive to other races.
One of the first things that most would notice about the average Ibex is of course the horns that sit atop their head. Not only the channelling method for their magical abilities, the horns are formed much in the same way as other species in nature. Being several layers of incredibly strong skin and keratin surrounding a core of bone, the horns are a part of the Ibex and will stay with them through the course of their lives. The size of an Ibex's horns are a point of pride to some Ibex, being a true display of their natural strength and power. Male and Female Ibex horns are distinctly different in certain ways but in no way is one stronger than the other. A typical male Ibex horn is large and curved backward to some degree, usually quite thick and quite bumped and jagged.
The Ibex form of magic can be categorized in two distinct ways. The first is basic magic, simple levitation, powering objects, etc etc. They are not entirely skilled in these schools of magic due to the lack of much need, beyond levitation and power in their daily lives the Ibex don't require much more. However this is not to say that there aren't those that train and specialize in it, rivalling some great unicorns in some rare cases.
The true power of the Ibex comes in the form of their mastery over nature and the world itself. Having and inherent connection to the world and mother nature, the Ibex have master the school of magic known as Druidism. At the most basic level, every Ibex alive can manipulate plants and move the ground in ways that a pony would have to train years to achieve and still never be able to match their skill. At the highest levels, the Ibex can create jungles in heartbeats and shape the lands themselves to their will. This nature magic as it is commonly known is the truest expression of the Ibex connection to nature and the strong bond they hold to it. These powers are not simply resigned to plant life or animal life, from the air, to the water and ground, all the domains of Ibex mageweavers. While the Ibex called this Druidism, it is not the same as the modern variant of the school of magic. Because of their natural gift at this form of magic they were in a different league to any modern druid who will often operate using different methods and accomplish different things. However any modern druid owes something to the Ibex as it was their race who first laid the ground work for non Ibex's to utilize the power of the natural world, in a way this means that the Ibex are responsible for modern Druidism as it is known.
At its heart, the culture of the Ibex is founded upon the principle of respect. Respect for each other, respect for what you do and most important, respect for the world. The Ibex live their lives with basic ideals, not complicating things with such things as religion or spiritual pursuits. No the Ibex were a more level headed people and believed in working the land, pursuing happiness and raising their young the right way.
Living in relatively large cities, the Ibex completely integrate nature into their lives despite this. Vines and trees were abundant all around, dirt paths leading to the various buildings. Farmland meshed in with the city, streams ran by the paths working as irrigation systems for the various fields, meadows and gardens that are part of the cities. This kind of attitude toward nature however is not something forced upon the Ibex youth, instead it is something most come to on their own. With their power tied to nature and the fierce senses of respect and honour that most Ibex hold, it is only natural that nature be a large part of any Ibex's life.
Their culture does not simply begin and end with nature however, in fact their culture stands strong on its own and the elements of nature in their world do nothing to change this. Below are the various elements of their culture, documented in detail.
There arises a major difference with the Ibex language when it comes to the realms of the more advances schools of magic that the Ibex have. Years of being in tune with nature have led the Ibex to develop an incredible skill. The Ibex druids developed a language of their own known as 'Veǫrold Mæla', loosely translated this means 'World speak' and is possibly one of the greatest marvels of the Ibex race. This language simply put, allows an individual to speak to the elements. This is not a magical set enchantments or some kind of spell, this is a language that resonates to the world itself. With this knowledge, the Ibex were able to talk with the elements and command them, persuade them. It is unknown if it was this that led the Ibex to learn their nature magic abilities, or it was those powers that led them to be able to create the language.
However what can easily be said is that these language was one of the Ibex races most powerful creations, instead of expending vast magical power they could simply speak to the clouds and it would rain. An easy comparison between this and the ponies weather management of the pegasus can be formed, which considering the time gap is interesting. The Ibex would never take this power and knowledge for granted however, such requests of the world were only made in times of dire need such as drought or heat waves that threatened the crops of the people. However the sheer fact that they could do such a thing is worthy of impressive note.
This kind of equality allows for an uncanny efficiency in the work places of the Ibex, with no squabbling between genders it allows them to simply get on with work. Of course this isn't to say there isn't fun made or good fun with some pranks, they are normal after all. This level of efficiency allows the Ibex to set up outposts, encampments and even villages in a matter of days as all workers can be trusted with their job regardless of gender. These stigmas never arose due chiefly to the fact that when the young face was developing their numbers were not large, everyone needed to work or there was a chance that they would not survive. As such when needed volunteers for a trying task, not only would you not need to worry about what gender they were, but you could rely on them if you needed to, that is however if they had the skills to actually fulfil this.
The first and most common were the Snowland Ibex. Characterized by the traditional grey, thick fur and heavy strong stature. This was the first breed of the Ibex as their homelands were in the frozen north that is now lost from the world. Their thick coats were to protect them from the harsh snow and frost of their homelands. The grey coats allowed them to blend into the harsh white environment to avoid the quite violent polar bears that they used to contend with. These are what any one who knows of the Ibex would think of when the race was brought up, sadly the other variants have been long forgotten and as far as history is concerned, never existed.
Another common variant of the Ibex are the desert dwelling Vastitas, these Ibex are quite far removed from their snow dwelling cousins. Due to their heated climate the Vastitas soon shed their thick fur into a thinner, more course type that is much more similar to their similar hircine brethren. Their fur also turned to a browner darker tone, these Ibex could be mistaken for exceptionally tall deer from afar. These Ibex were said to be tired of the cold climates of the north they migrated to the deserts of the south that were said to split from the continent and became the desert lands we know today.
When those tired of the snow emigrated, the groups split off in search of different lands to call their home. While some headed to the deserts, others headed to the water filled planes of the lands that would eventually become Equestria. These 'Plane Dwellers' are mostly unremarkable, like their desert dwelling cousins they lost a lot of their fur thickness thanks to the change in temperature. They also slimmed down and shorted slightly due to the easier environment they lived in. The abundance of rivers and lakes in these lands led to a more abundant use of water based magic, which over time smoothed the horns of these Ibex down slightly leaving them less ridged than their other brethren.
There were a few other smaller clans, tribes and groups but these are the 3 most common and most widespread of the variants who have the most differences between them.
This admiration and affinity with the natural world is not persistently on the minds of every Ibex however. Living with nature their entire lives, it is just part of their world and just the way it is. They are not obsessed with it and it does not dictate their being, there are some that do consider nature everyday but these are Ibex that train in nature and often study its properties. Believing that we all make our own destinies, the Ibex do not try and force their view on others or police others who do not fall into their own thoughts on things. The Ibex are a understanding race and even when they do not fully understand something, they believe it is the right of others to be able to do something without another race that knows nothing to try and control them. However the Ibex are not without a sense of justice or protection, if they feel that an action lacks justification or reason they seldom can stand idly by and watch. Along with that if they feel their homelands are threatened or the natural world is being destroyed for no reason, you will soon be staring down upon an angered monolith of horns and magic.
The Ibex were never a violent race, colonizing with democracy and compromise on their part. As such the Ibex firmly believed in good relations with other races and because of their migrations and explorations they met many races. Despite interacting with sometimes hostile races the Ibex constantly persevered, they never took what was not there's with force or manipulation. These ideals helped them keep their good relations and as such allowed them to expand many aspects of their culture. Many Ibex cities were havens of culture and integration of many races, the Ibex welcomed all travellers so long as they made sure to adhere to the rules of their culture. The Ibex never judged or discriminated against other races and raised their young with the ideals of respect so that they would never devolve into such barbaric and disgusting attitudes or behaviours such as racism or bigotry.
Being a fiercely proud race, the Ibex hold a great spirit in their hearts. A patriotic and head strong race, the Ibex remain sure of their directions in life and often see their way of living as the best. While they are happy to accept and understand opinions, their stance on nature and the Ibex way of living remains strong and will never change in the majority. This is where the Ibex culture can be akin to a brick wall, while the Ibex do their best to raise their children to be open minded and to chose their own path, it can be overwhelming growing up in a society that is based around the ideals of nature. To combat this many parents take the opportunity to send their children to various places around the world to experience as much as they can and appreciate the other ways of thinking for the rest of the world.
Firstly on the art side of things, the Ibex have one undisputed mastery and trade. The art of carving and sculpting is something that Ibex excel at on a level that is truly amazing, the artists of the horned race are able to achieve such incredible feats of scale and detail that they can capture so many likenesses or interpretations. One of the most impressive feats of these sculpt masters are the two monolithic carvings of two Ibex that are carved out of mountains, these are used as the gateways to the larger of the Ibex cities, with the largest pair being at the threshold to the capital city where the carvings in question are 500ft tall at the peak of their horns. Once you saw those two Ibex standing above the world you knew the lands you had arrived in. These carvings and sculpting skills were more so present within the Ibex cities, since most of the buildings were made out of stone, each of them had hundreds of carvings all over depicting various scenes or simply having decoration and symbols carved in. That and most public street likes were carved beautiful out of a pillar of stone and once again featured beautiful carvings all over. These carvings often mean a multitude of things, sometimes they can represent nature, or fertility or times they might tell a story. In many cases unless the object was specifically to do with something it would be decoration and not for much purpose, however some objects share similarities. Every home in an Ibex city will have a carving that roughly means 'Nature of the Ibex', which marks the home as part of the Ibex nature. Its an old tradition when the Ibex were slightly more fanatical about the whole nature ideals of their lives, they since moved on from such thoughts but continue to mark homes like this as a silly little tradition. Often any building or object will literally be covered in these symbols and decorations, being carved into the side of each stone brick. This can also be seen in the masterfully built buildings of the Ibex but there's more on that later, what is worthy of note however are the statues and busts in government building that depict great leaders. These statues are of the highest detail, standing taller than the average Ibex and placed on mighty plinths these statues are perfect recreations of their subject and like their massive counterparts that sit on the precipice of each large Ibex city truly show of the impressive talents of the race.
Their talents do not simply end at sculpting when it comes to the arts however, the Ibex have many examples of their prowess in crafting and creating. From large beautiful banners and tapestries to paintings and mosaics of glass and coloured stone, Ibex cities were full of art and colour. Often pushing the envelope on what was thought could be done, the Ibex revelled in progress of practicality and beauty in what they did. Even the most simple of things were given a great sense of care and beauty, lending Ibex cities an uncanny beauty that had to be seen to be believed.
When it comes to Ibex music there is a pleasant diversity in both instruments and genres that satisfied most Ibex music appreciates. The Ibex play much from the heart, with nearly all Ibex enjoying music and quite a few being passionate enough to make their own. While some would assume them to be very one noted and only sing about nature or some such nonsense but its quite the contrary, the Ibex live full lives and their music reflects that. Love is a common subject of music as it is in nearly every culture, really any aspect of life can be reflected in music and the Ibex are no different from others in that regard.
Ibex instruments are part standard fair and part exotic and unique. They have the standard fair of guitar and violin substitutes etc, although with slight differences the effects and sounds are often the same and sound just as lovely in the right hands. The Ibex didn't have electronic synthesizers or the like however, so a DJ was an non-existent profession and that sort of development wouldn't come about until the time of the Pony. What the Ibex did have were many acoustic instruments and techniques that allowed them to make some of the most beautiful music you could ever hear.
One of the Ibex signature instruments is not actually a crafted dedicated instrument, however it does require a great deal of knowledge and skill to play. Using their magical abilities to levitate several spheres of water at different sizes and densities, they can achieve a sound that one achieves when rubbing the rim of a wineglass with water in it. The best Ibex musicians can have up to 20 tuned spheres of water floating around them, providing a beautiful and melodic sound. These Water Orbs were the staple of any orchestra or acoustical band, however they took quite a while to learn as one had to be knowledgeable of frequencies and possess the same kind of knowledge one would need to play wine glasses normally.
A more extravagant and large scale Ibex instrument is a form of organ, on a different scale. Developed as a Druid's instrument, these large organs were made from dead trees. Because of the scale and nature of these instruments they were often built outside and could be used for solo performances. Constructed from multiple trees of different sizes, the wind itself would be funnelled into the various trunks and channels that have formed in the branches to provide an incredible sound. Not at huge in sound as organs, these instruments (depending on the tree size, type and quality) can be soft and beautiful or powerful and great. Once again its something that requires a fair amount of skill in the Druidic arts or at least skill in the arts to use this instrument, and a lot of space.
The Ibex have all kinds of bands to fit in with the varying musical genres, from large scale orchestras to smaller bands. Frankly there is not much difference in Ibex culture when it comes to music, despite the instrumental differences and technological time gap they are quite similar to the Equestrian standards. Of course the universal species magic and the nature abilities allow for some more interesting sounds but for the most part they matched the standards and skill, from individuals to bands their music is full of heart, talent and soul.
-Physics
It seems odd to think that a race from thousands of years in the past would be so advanced as to study physics but yes it was a point of interest for the Ibex for numerous reasons. The first main reason that any one would study and research the subject is to garner a better understanding of how the world and the universe works in its many intricate ways, as such there was a lot to be studied by various groups.
The scientific community of the Ibex opted for the study of the ways the world works, such as gravity and the stars. Because of their natural living, the Ibex did not interfere with the sun or its movements as ponies do and as such had free reign to see how the heavens worked. It would be a waste of time to cover every field of study that the Ibex have in the area of physics due to the breadth of the field. Of course due to their lesser technology the Ibex could over go so far in their pursuit of the field, so they did what they could. Things such as gravity and the ideals of forces and their reactions were things that didn't require much technology, sadly however the pursuit of the stars and other such areas that required a more cutting edge level of technology were simply out of the truer reaches of their hooves.
This is not to say that they simply gave up, no simply far from it. Taking whatever they could and putting all their mind power to it, Ibex scientists worked in spite of their technology desires of course because in their time they knew no more than what they had. In fact some Equestrian scientists would find Ibex work quite thought provoking, of course in Equestrian times a lot of the breakthroughs of the Ibex would be common knowledge but only because they were made.
There is one more group that is worth mentioning when it comes to the pursuit of the sciences and in this case the field of physics and that is the Druids. The Druids of the Ibex were not so arrogant to assume that their understanding of nature and the world as it was was enough to say they understood in, in fact most thought that they didn't know enough. As such various Druids banded together or in some cases worked alone to better understand specific aspects of the world so that they could better know how to use their abilities. When it came to the acts of physics it was mostly how things moved and worked in terms of motion. Knowing how liquids respond and why they do so is valuable knowledge for someone who manipulates it, with a deeper understanding beyond what you see, you are able to accomplish so much more.
Now simply because these groups had different goals did not mean they didn't work together, once again they were not so arrogant to assume that they knew better than the other. As such many coalitions were formed within the different scholarship communities, Having teams of goats with some that understood better how one aspect worked and others that understood better how others worked allowed for some brilliant progress. With these knowledge pursuits came advances in both Druidic powers and the further understanding of how the world worked.
-Biology
It goes without saying that a species that holds nature so dear would study the way that the plants and animals of the natural world work. Once again understanding how things work being a key bit of importance, not only that however this in particular strikes a chord of interest for many A'bek due to their affinity with animals and love of plants. One thankful thing about the field of Biology is that by definition its a little more down to earth than physics, this has allowed them to make more substantial breakthroughs in the field.
One of the most amazing things to consider is that the Ibex had developed their own microscopes using a series of highly reflective and focussed crystals, these were the tools that truly allowed the Ibex to explore the biological world in a new way. Understand how plants worked for the most part allowed for more efficient farming, knowing why sun and water were needed and what they were used for in the plant really went a long way to increased crop yield and was the main reason that the Ibex were able to feed their people so well. Along with that, knowing what they could take and what needed preserving and for what reasons were probably some of the more prolific breakthroughs for the Ibex as soon after they began many expansion projects for the jungle, spreading the natural world to the more desolate areas that had been left in other species wake.
This field of story also taught the Ibex that interference with nature can have ruinous effects, with some species going extinct due to outside interference. Never wanting to bring this shame upon themselves, the Ibex as such studied without changing anything. They did not take animals out of their habitat or introduce plants to see what may occur. Some might think that this was intentionally holding themselves back, but they saw it as only studying what was real and not creating things to study. There of course were always arguments to do more studying, but as scientific pursuits needed to be approved before hand so these complaints or arguments never usually lead to anything.
Because the Ibex believe themselves part of the world as much as the plants and animals and as such their biology study pursuits are not as extensive, or at least maybe not as far reaching as pony studies. It would be a simple statement to say that their studies are not as advanced as they could be, and while it may have a slight truth to it the matter is of perspective as the Ibex see biology as a study of the natural world and they believe that by not interfering their studies are as advanced as they need to be.
-Chemistry
Its odd that you would find some of the most advanced studies of the Ibex in the field of Chemistry, mainly due to the common idea that you would need some more advanced pieces of Equipment to truly make breakthroughs in the field. However despite this the Ibex are skilled chemists in several different ways, both in terms of study and practice. Once again the field and its studies are split between the scientific community and the Druidic community however in this field the ball is more within the court of the Druids. The reason for this is that the Druids were unknowingly performing the art of chemistry for hundreds of years with their potions and elixirs providing them an early if not unintentional insight into chemical mixtures, of course it wasn't until proper scientific method was applied that the true understanding of this could be achieved.
Chemical reactions are not the only thing that define what Chemistry is however and this is where the species seemed to fall slightly short, sadly they lacked lacked the knowledge capabilities to truly fathom the vast extents of chemistry. Atomic bonds and the nature of how the world and all of its components are formed and kept together was always a mystery to the Ibex, not for lack of trying however. Theories long existed about what made up the world, chemical bonds being one of them. However there was never one decided upon theory, what may seem obvious to ponies of the present day. This is simply a curious little note in the Ibex knowledge, their chemistry knowledge really began and ended with the nature of chemicals and their combinations.
There isn't much to say about the Ibex and chemistry all in all, it feels like they lack a large amount of knowledge on the subject but the truth is they could never agree on what was theorized. All they did know was chemicals, but in their defence they seemed to know it better than anyone.
-Technology
It should be said early on in the subject of technology that the Ibex never had electricity, this should give an impression of the vast difference of technology between the Ibex and Pony kind. However this doesn't mean that they were living in some kind of dark age, quite the opposite in fact. As stated before, the Ibex are much as much a race for progression as any, they do not let their love and respect of nature hold them back in such a way. However the Ibex progress constantly with consequences and ramifications of their actions in mind, they always must weigh up if a decision is beneficial in the long run of not only their empire but also the world itself.
The Ibex made great use of their nature-centric power when developing their technology, they do this because it is probably their greatest strength and allows them to make the most developments. Knowing the the earth had a power no one species would ever truly attain, the first developments were made in the pursuit of power. Raging torrents and rivers were plainly powerful, channelling that power using water wheels and complex irrigation systems to speed up farming and growing food was an early step for the Ibex. By using this early power method, the Ibex could funnel this productivity into more complex means of powering various mechanisms. Druids were at the forefront of these developments as they were connections and beacons of the earth's power itself. The turning point of development came when one legendary druid by the name of 'Terran Earthquaker' achieved one of the most powerful druidic spells imaginable, he was able to directly shoot a beam of pure life force. This was the earth's full power made manifest: the power of it spinning, the power of the plants, animals, it was pure power incarnate. This immediately prompted use of such epic power into mechanisms already invented and allowed for the development of new inventions.
Using specially tuned crystals found in their homelands to the north that seemed to reflect the natural world around wherever they grew, the Ibex were able to store this life force magic in fairly large quantities. By controlling growths of this crystal in thin strips underneath their cities, the Ibex were able to supply controlled bursts of power to large mechanisms that kept the cities running. From street lights to the irrigation control, the Ibex cities were a beacon of progress and development. These crystals were stored and contained in huge stone obelisks that had several carvings all over them, this was to not only contain the power but to also stop any chance of over charge or explosions. This contained magical power was easily the most significant leap in Ibex developments as it brought them to a technology level that wouldn't be seen again until modern pony times which gives a good idea to the technology levels of the Ibex.
However the developments or advancements of the Ibex never truly reached the levels of the Ponies, this magical power was not like electricity, it was too raw and uncontrolled, it varied depending on the state of the world, it hindered any major developments however at the time it was the most advanced thing so there was so development beyond it would take a while and that time never came due to the races sudden disappearance. Despite this severe limitation as modern ponies would see it, the Ibex had some of the amenities that modern species enjoy, simply in different ways. For example while it may not be technology persé, the Ibex did have an inter connected system of train like connections that were run by druids shifting the earth around large stone slabs supporting several passengers. These facsimile’s of modern inventions and functions using more rudimentary techniques or inventions. While not on the same technological level as the modern pony society, they were still probably the most advanced species of their time.
Many resources are put into the schooling systems in Ibex cities, taking on all who would learn and giving them the best education available. The government prided itself on its support of the education system, putting a lot of money into the system. Being a teacher was considered one of the most admirable jobs that an individual can hold, offers are made far and wide to teachers from all races as it is believed that no one race can know as much as another and that the smartest people would learn from others, as such many programmes were set up to trade tutors for years at a time, along with foreign exchange students, there were many foreign exchange tutors as well. The systems that were set in place allowed for a student to study and learn from some of the most learned minds the world had to offer, or travel to other lands to learn first hand what the world was like. Schools and universities alike also took on many foreign exchange students, with many schools building facilities and dorms just for the exchange students. Knowledge was seen as a universal treasure that no one race or country could horde to themselves, this was one of the reasons that the Ibex had such good standing with other nations.
This dedication to teaching led generations of intelligent and free thinking Ibex which is probably what lead to the Ibex's advanced civilisation leading up to their disappearance. Its sad that their teachings and extensive knowledge libraries and archives that covered science, research and Druidic knowledge was lost with their disappearance. Needless to say their attitude and execution toward education and their supporting programmes that reinforced it was what drove the rapid expanse and development of areas in Ibex community. The thirst for knowledge and learning spanned all generations but of course was not universal, some chose to drop out of school or not proceed to higher levels of education. It was pure choice but considering that education didn't cost money and instead was paid off with work in the subject field, most Ibex had higher educations under their pelts.
The idea of family is perhaps the strongest bond in any culture or civilisation, the bond of blood is one that can never be broken. The Ibex family bond is an interesting one as there is both a universality to it, and a severe individuality to it. What this means is that a family is both close knit and far reaching, with family members going far and wide across the world but holding a love for their families in their hearts. The heart of a family lies with the love and bond between the mother and father of families, its worth noting that while divorce does exist in Ibex civilisation, couples only ever marry when their love is pure and tested over the years so its severely rare. It is advised that a couple are together for 10 years before starting a family to maintain a population and to also make sure that a family bond starts off strong.
The Ibex empire is a matriarchal rules society in the sense that the government and Empire is run by the High Empress but that does not mean any one gender rules more than others when it comes to societal or family life, the way families are run usually varies but there is a mutual respect and trust between partners that means that most decisions are made without talking to each other but will often be the same decision that their partner would have made. Parents usually work separate careers and do not live and die for each other, being individuals as much as a couple. Its this kind of dynamic and trust that really makes the Ibex family a strong bond. When a couple decides to move forward and have a baby, there is little difference from a pony birth. Most pregnancies are planned as its just a social custom, population control is always a key point with the Ibex as they know that too many of any on species will drag on nature more than can be handled. It is not a topic that is policed but all Ibex know it and do their own parts to keep to it.
The Ibex raise their children with integrity and freedom in mind, nurturing them to be smart and free thinking individuals that will go on to do the world good. Parenting is a mix of distant watching and close teaching that allows children to develop their own way. Thankfully this allowance of freedom leads to most kids being well developed and less prone to rebellion or outbursts, but of course it can still happen. This is all generalization and of course there are always individuals and exceptions to rules. The individuality instilled in Ibex children does not mean they are all loners however, it means they are free to chose their own paths and friends and most friends are all groups of same minded individuals who's friendship is based on mutual interests and thinking and will usually feature several different species from all over. Ibex are very accommodating and think of a friend of a different species as the same as an Ibex friend and in fact the difference between the two never crosses their mind, all that matters to an Ibex is personality. This can cause some issues with different societies who operate differently but being most peaceful and diplomatic, it never develops into full problems.
As children age and begin to go further afield in pursuits of career or adventure, families naturally drift apart with a sense of understanding and pride. A son or daughter could leave to travel the world and their parents would be proud and happy to see them go, of course both sides would be sad to see each other go but its never a reason to stop an individual. They know that it is the right path because it was one chosen, a travelling Ibex may think of home fondly but never miss it in the sense that they yearn to return. They always keep in mind of their happy memories and it will make them smile and keep going so that they can return home one day with tales that will amaze and fill the hearts of their parents with pride. Of course some do chose to stay within range of their birth homes and parents, occasional visits are a common thing but are not thought of as mandatory. A child moving out to their own home with their own career is seen as a point of success and a landmark for both the child and parents and is never thought of by the parents as a relief or a loss. This is where the concept of a far reaching but tightly knit family comes into things, they hold a dear love of each other but do not hold them to required visits or stress them with guilt or expectance.
The close knit nature of the Ibex family ethic and their friendship ties are a great example of why the Ibex were just a great people, take away their magic and their technology and they would still just be a nice, friendly and peaceful species that want nothing but the betterment of the world, themselves and others.
~The Ibex People~
1. Anatomy.2. Power.
3. Culture.
╪ Language.
╪ Gender Roles.
╪ Ethnicity.
╪ Philosophy and spirituality.
╪ Music and art.
╪ Science and Technology.
╪ Education.
4.Family and Kinship.
1. Anatomy
The Ibex are a sturdy people, built for harsh climates and inhospitable lands. They stand tall and strong, towering over most creatures of the land with ease. Its hard to put a definitive number on the strength levels of the average Ibex, because as with any race it tends to be the individual that defines it. However it is easy to say that the Ibex are taller and stronger than the average pony and due to the large stride and stamina, often faster. With this large size comes a strength to match, being able to carry themselves and several loads for mile after mile. Another noticeable trait of their physiology is their thick fur their covers most of their bodies, providing a hearty warmth from cold and snow and most of the extreme colds that the Ibex would face in their homeland. The Ibex coat is not like a ponies however; not being so varied in colour, most Ibex are firmly within the palette of grey but this is not exclusive. Some coats can be radically deep or bright colours, some being dark black and others being pure white, it is worth noting that it is usually males and females who have those radicals respectively.
Male and Female are easy to tell apart in most cases but in cases not for the reasons you might suspect. Females often stand at equal height to their male counterparts and in some cases can be taller and of course vice versa, this goes the same for strength as well. However unlike the case of the Equine race of Ponies, the number of females that can out perform males in feats of strength or in natural height is far more equal to the number of males. What can easily tell a female apart from a male are three easily noticeable aesthetic differences. The first of these being their facial structure; Not being as rigid as a males, which females often having slender jaw lines and slightly more pronounced cheek bones. The second major difference comes with fur; naturally having a softer coat than the males that is not as messy, the females natural fur is a sleek looking straight coat that combined with their facial and muscle structure lends most of them a beauty that is hard to match. The third and final major noticeable difference from males is the female Ibex's horns; being shorter in length and lass curved overall, the female's horns are no less impressive to other races.
One of the first things that most would notice about the average Ibex is of course the horns that sit atop their head. Not only the channelling method for their magical abilities, the horns are formed much in the same way as other species in nature. Being several layers of incredibly strong skin and keratin surrounding a core of bone, the horns are a part of the Ibex and will stay with them through the course of their lives. The size of an Ibex's horns are a point of pride to some Ibex, being a true display of their natural strength and power. Male and Female Ibex horns are distinctly different in certain ways but in no way is one stronger than the other. A typical male Ibex horn is large and curved backward to some degree, usually quite thick and quite bumped and jagged.
2. Power
(Further in the guide will be a section on the Ibex Druids that will cover further in depth how the Druidic powers work)
The Ibex are a magical race, much like the unicorns of the Equine race of ponies. Each Ibex as they age will go a pair of long curved, ridged horns. These horns are the channelling tools for the Ibex's magic and are an important part of both pride and power for the Ibex. The size of the horns however doesn’t translate to power of their magic, any Ibex can train themselves to be powerful regardless of horn size, however there are cases of natural ability and talent. When an Ibex channels magic thought their horns, each crease and crack will glow with light as it fills up with the magical power and much like ponies the colour of the magic can vary.(Further in the guide will be a section on the Ibex Druids that will cover further in depth how the Druidic powers work)
The Ibex form of magic can be categorized in two distinct ways. The first is basic magic, simple levitation, powering objects, etc etc. They are not entirely skilled in these schools of magic due to the lack of much need, beyond levitation and power in their daily lives the Ibex don't require much more. However this is not to say that there aren't those that train and specialize in it, rivalling some great unicorns in some rare cases.
The true power of the Ibex comes in the form of their mastery over nature and the world itself. Having and inherent connection to the world and mother nature, the Ibex have master the school of magic known as Druidism. At the most basic level, every Ibex alive can manipulate plants and move the ground in ways that a pony would have to train years to achieve and still never be able to match their skill. At the highest levels, the Ibex can create jungles in heartbeats and shape the lands themselves to their will. This nature magic as it is commonly known is the truest expression of the Ibex connection to nature and the strong bond they hold to it. These powers are not simply resigned to plant life or animal life, from the air, to the water and ground, all the domains of Ibex mageweavers. While the Ibex called this Druidism, it is not the same as the modern variant of the school of magic. Because of their natural gift at this form of magic they were in a different league to any modern druid who will often operate using different methods and accomplish different things. However any modern druid owes something to the Ibex as it was their race who first laid the ground work for non Ibex's to utilize the power of the natural world, in a way this means that the Ibex are responsible for modern Druidism as it is known.
3. Culture
At its heart, the culture of the Ibex is founded upon the principle of respect. Respect for each other, respect for what you do and most important, respect for the world. The Ibex live their lives with basic ideals, not complicating things with such things as religion or spiritual pursuits. No the Ibex were a more level headed people and believed in working the land, pursuing happiness and raising their young the right way.
Living in relatively large cities, the Ibex completely integrate nature into their lives despite this. Vines and trees were abundant all around, dirt paths leading to the various buildings. Farmland meshed in with the city, streams ran by the paths working as irrigation systems for the various fields, meadows and gardens that are part of the cities. This kind of attitude toward nature however is not something forced upon the Ibex youth, instead it is something most come to on their own. With their power tied to nature and the fierce senses of respect and honour that most Ibex hold, it is only natural that nature be a large part of any Ibex's life.
Their culture does not simply begin and end with nature however, in fact their culture stands strong on its own and the elements of nature in their world do nothing to change this. Below are the various elements of their culture, documented in detail.
~Language~
The Ibex language can be categorized into two distinct fields. The first being normal speech, it is unknown if it was the ancestors of the Ibex who began speaking the modern language or if it was something passed onto them, what can be said about it however is that is the common form of speech heard all over the world today. Its hard to say if the language the Ibex spoke was passed on by them to modern faces as any knowledge is lost and forgotten however what can be said is that it is the same language. There aren't many complexities in their speech, a pony would think their dialect is a little odd and old fashioned but other than that its perfectly understandable and intelligent speech. There arises a major difference with the Ibex language when it comes to the realms of the more advances schools of magic that the Ibex have. Years of being in tune with nature have led the Ibex to develop an incredible skill. The Ibex druids developed a language of their own known as 'Veǫrold Mæla', loosely translated this means 'World speak' and is possibly one of the greatest marvels of the Ibex race. This language simply put, allows an individual to speak to the elements. This is not a magical set enchantments or some kind of spell, this is a language that resonates to the world itself. With this knowledge, the Ibex were able to talk with the elements and command them, persuade them. It is unknown if it was this that led the Ibex to learn their nature magic abilities, or it was those powers that led them to be able to create the language.
However what can easily be said is that these language was one of the Ibex races most powerful creations, instead of expending vast magical power they could simply speak to the clouds and it would rain. An easy comparison between this and the ponies weather management of the pegasus can be formed, which considering the time gap is interesting. The Ibex would never take this power and knowledge for granted however, such requests of the world were only made in times of dire need such as drought or heat waves that threatened the crops of the people. However the sheer fact that they could do such a thing is worthy of impressive note.
~Gender Roles~
The Ibex are nothing if not an equal race, with no job holding any social stigma as being just a male or female profession. Jobs and family roles are decided by the individual and no choice is ever criticized. Due to the equal strength proportions of many Ibex there are few jobs that any one gender can do better than another, both can be as good or as bad at one job as the other. There are certain roles in the higher levels of the political lines of career that are defined by the fact that they are held by males or females, however in most cases of a gender specific job, there is an alternative occupied by the other gender.This kind of equality allows for an uncanny efficiency in the work places of the Ibex, with no squabbling between genders it allows them to simply get on with work. Of course this isn't to say there isn't fun made or good fun with some pranks, they are normal after all. This level of efficiency allows the Ibex to set up outposts, encampments and even villages in a matter of days as all workers can be trusted with their job regardless of gender. These stigmas never arose due chiefly to the fact that when the young face was developing their numbers were not large, everyone needed to work or there was a chance that they would not survive. As such when needed volunteers for a trying task, not only would you not need to worry about what gender they were, but you could rely on them if you needed to, that is however if they had the skills to actually fulfil this.
~Ethnicity~
Much like the Equine race of Ponies, there are variants of Ibex. However the differences between the variants are not so drastic as the ponies, at heart every Ibex has magical ability and carries the same basic stature. However due to their ability to colonize any landscape but to adapt to any and all environments, the Ibex spread far and wide. As such many were submitted to different conditions and weather and they evolved and adapted over time to reflect this. There are a core number of different species/ethnicities of Ibex and each exhibit different qualities. The first and most common were the Snowland Ibex. Characterized by the traditional grey, thick fur and heavy strong stature. This was the first breed of the Ibex as their homelands were in the frozen north that is now lost from the world. Their thick coats were to protect them from the harsh snow and frost of their homelands. The grey coats allowed them to blend into the harsh white environment to avoid the quite violent polar bears that they used to contend with. These are what any one who knows of the Ibex would think of when the race was brought up, sadly the other variants have been long forgotten and as far as history is concerned, never existed.
Another common variant of the Ibex are the desert dwelling Vastitas, these Ibex are quite far removed from their snow dwelling cousins. Due to their heated climate the Vastitas soon shed their thick fur into a thinner, more course type that is much more similar to their similar hircine brethren. Their fur also turned to a browner darker tone, these Ibex could be mistaken for exceptionally tall deer from afar. These Ibex were said to be tired of the cold climates of the north they migrated to the deserts of the south that were said to split from the continent and became the desert lands we know today.
When those tired of the snow emigrated, the groups split off in search of different lands to call their home. While some headed to the deserts, others headed to the water filled planes of the lands that would eventually become Equestria. These 'Plane Dwellers' are mostly unremarkable, like their desert dwelling cousins they lost a lot of their fur thickness thanks to the change in temperature. They also slimmed down and shorted slightly due to the easier environment they lived in. The abundance of rivers and lakes in these lands led to a more abundant use of water based magic, which over time smoothed the horns of these Ibex down slightly leaving them less ridged than their other brethren.
There were a few other smaller clans, tribes and groups but these are the 3 most common and most widespread of the variants who have the most differences between them.
~Philosophy and spirituality~
As stated before, the Ibex are big lovers and respecters of nature. However this runs deeper than simple admiration for the great mother earth. The world provides live, it is the source of all nourishment and is the most powerful force known. The Ibex are forever thankful of all the world gives them and most will never take for granted, this drives their respect for the world and its power. The belief that the world holds such great power is what drives a lot of Ibex decisions, why use magic when the flow of the oceans will forever be stronger than the magic of any Ibex. This is what lead the development of the Ibex civilization being so meshed with the natural world. It is not a simple exploitation of the world nor is it because they feel that progress is detrimental to the world. The Ibex ingrained the natural world into their civilization because they understand and respect what it can do and by living in harmony with that, and giving back what they do not feel they owe but what they feel is only right. This admiration and affinity with the natural world is not persistently on the minds of every Ibex however. Living with nature their entire lives, it is just part of their world and just the way it is. They are not obsessed with it and it does not dictate their being, there are some that do consider nature everyday but these are Ibex that train in nature and often study its properties. Believing that we all make our own destinies, the Ibex do not try and force their view on others or police others who do not fall into their own thoughts on things. The Ibex are a understanding race and even when they do not fully understand something, they believe it is the right of others to be able to do something without another race that knows nothing to try and control them. However the Ibex are not without a sense of justice or protection, if they feel that an action lacks justification or reason they seldom can stand idly by and watch. Along with that if they feel their homelands are threatened or the natural world is being destroyed for no reason, you will soon be staring down upon an angered monolith of horns and magic.
The Ibex were never a violent race, colonizing with democracy and compromise on their part. As such the Ibex firmly believed in good relations with other races and because of their migrations and explorations they met many races. Despite interacting with sometimes hostile races the Ibex constantly persevered, they never took what was not there's with force or manipulation. These ideals helped them keep their good relations and as such allowed them to expand many aspects of their culture. Many Ibex cities were havens of culture and integration of many races, the Ibex welcomed all travellers so long as they made sure to adhere to the rules of their culture. The Ibex never judged or discriminated against other races and raised their young with the ideals of respect so that they would never devolve into such barbaric and disgusting attitudes or behaviours such as racism or bigotry.
Being a fiercely proud race, the Ibex hold a great spirit in their hearts. A patriotic and head strong race, the Ibex remain sure of their directions in life and often see their way of living as the best. While they are happy to accept and understand opinions, their stance on nature and the Ibex way of living remains strong and will never change in the majority. This is where the Ibex culture can be akin to a brick wall, while the Ibex do their best to raise their children to be open minded and to chose their own path, it can be overwhelming growing up in a society that is based around the ideals of nature. To combat this many parents take the opportunity to send their children to various places around the world to experience as much as they can and appreciate the other ways of thinking for the rest of the world.
~Music and Art~
The Ibex arts are a strong point of pride for many of the exotically strange race, with many pursuing careers and hobbies in the arts. The Ibex have as many styles of music and art as any other race so listing them all would take forever. However it is easy to note the influences and styles of the music and art that the Ibex express.Firstly on the art side of things, the Ibex have one undisputed mastery and trade. The art of carving and sculpting is something that Ibex excel at on a level that is truly amazing, the artists of the horned race are able to achieve such incredible feats of scale and detail that they can capture so many likenesses or interpretations. One of the most impressive feats of these sculpt masters are the two monolithic carvings of two Ibex that are carved out of mountains, these are used as the gateways to the larger of the Ibex cities, with the largest pair being at the threshold to the capital city where the carvings in question are 500ft tall at the peak of their horns. Once you saw those two Ibex standing above the world you knew the lands you had arrived in. These carvings and sculpting skills were more so present within the Ibex cities, since most of the buildings were made out of stone, each of them had hundreds of carvings all over depicting various scenes or simply having decoration and symbols carved in. That and most public street likes were carved beautiful out of a pillar of stone and once again featured beautiful carvings all over. These carvings often mean a multitude of things, sometimes they can represent nature, or fertility or times they might tell a story. In many cases unless the object was specifically to do with something it would be decoration and not for much purpose, however some objects share similarities. Every home in an Ibex city will have a carving that roughly means 'Nature of the Ibex', which marks the home as part of the Ibex nature. Its an old tradition when the Ibex were slightly more fanatical about the whole nature ideals of their lives, they since moved on from such thoughts but continue to mark homes like this as a silly little tradition. Often any building or object will literally be covered in these symbols and decorations, being carved into the side of each stone brick. This can also be seen in the masterfully built buildings of the Ibex but there's more on that later, what is worthy of note however are the statues and busts in government building that depict great leaders. These statues are of the highest detail, standing taller than the average Ibex and placed on mighty plinths these statues are perfect recreations of their subject and like their massive counterparts that sit on the precipice of each large Ibex city truly show of the impressive talents of the race.
Their talents do not simply end at sculpting when it comes to the arts however, the Ibex have many examples of their prowess in crafting and creating. From large beautiful banners and tapestries to paintings and mosaics of glass and coloured stone, Ibex cities were full of art and colour. Often pushing the envelope on what was thought could be done, the Ibex revelled in progress of practicality and beauty in what they did. Even the most simple of things were given a great sense of care and beauty, lending Ibex cities an uncanny beauty that had to be seen to be believed.
When it comes to Ibex music there is a pleasant diversity in both instruments and genres that satisfied most Ibex music appreciates. The Ibex play much from the heart, with nearly all Ibex enjoying music and quite a few being passionate enough to make their own. While some would assume them to be very one noted and only sing about nature or some such nonsense but its quite the contrary, the Ibex live full lives and their music reflects that. Love is a common subject of music as it is in nearly every culture, really any aspect of life can be reflected in music and the Ibex are no different from others in that regard.
Ibex instruments are part standard fair and part exotic and unique. They have the standard fair of guitar and violin substitutes etc, although with slight differences the effects and sounds are often the same and sound just as lovely in the right hands. The Ibex didn't have electronic synthesizers or the like however, so a DJ was an non-existent profession and that sort of development wouldn't come about until the time of the Pony. What the Ibex did have were many acoustic instruments and techniques that allowed them to make some of the most beautiful music you could ever hear.
One of the Ibex signature instruments is not actually a crafted dedicated instrument, however it does require a great deal of knowledge and skill to play. Using their magical abilities to levitate several spheres of water at different sizes and densities, they can achieve a sound that one achieves when rubbing the rim of a wineglass with water in it. The best Ibex musicians can have up to 20 tuned spheres of water floating around them, providing a beautiful and melodic sound. These Water Orbs were the staple of any orchestra or acoustical band, however they took quite a while to learn as one had to be knowledgeable of frequencies and possess the same kind of knowledge one would need to play wine glasses normally.
A more extravagant and large scale Ibex instrument is a form of organ, on a different scale. Developed as a Druid's instrument, these large organs were made from dead trees. Because of the scale and nature of these instruments they were often built outside and could be used for solo performances. Constructed from multiple trees of different sizes, the wind itself would be funnelled into the various trunks and channels that have formed in the branches to provide an incredible sound. Not at huge in sound as organs, these instruments (depending on the tree size, type and quality) can be soft and beautiful or powerful and great. Once again its something that requires a fair amount of skill in the Druidic arts or at least skill in the arts to use this instrument, and a lot of space.
The Ibex have all kinds of bands to fit in with the varying musical genres, from large scale orchestras to smaller bands. Frankly there is not much difference in Ibex culture when it comes to music, despite the instrumental differences and technological time gap they are quite similar to the Equestrian standards. Of course the universal species magic and the nature abilities allow for some more interesting sounds but for the most part they matched the standards and skill, from individuals to bands their music is full of heart, talent and soul.
~Science and Technology.~
Just because the Ibex are nature-centric doesn't mean they disregard the sciences, quite the contrary in fact. To be able to respect manipulate the world, one must understand it. The study of the natural world and how it works is a high point of focus of research materials and effort in the Ibex Empire. Not only that but the betterment of technology and living is also a pursuit of many scholars, many fields of research and technology were at the heart of Ibex learning and some of those will be covered here.-Physics
It seems odd to think that a race from thousands of years in the past would be so advanced as to study physics but yes it was a point of interest for the Ibex for numerous reasons. The first main reason that any one would study and research the subject is to garner a better understanding of how the world and the universe works in its many intricate ways, as such there was a lot to be studied by various groups.
The scientific community of the Ibex opted for the study of the ways the world works, such as gravity and the stars. Because of their natural living, the Ibex did not interfere with the sun or its movements as ponies do and as such had free reign to see how the heavens worked. It would be a waste of time to cover every field of study that the Ibex have in the area of physics due to the breadth of the field. Of course due to their lesser technology the Ibex could over go so far in their pursuit of the field, so they did what they could. Things such as gravity and the ideals of forces and their reactions were things that didn't require much technology, sadly however the pursuit of the stars and other such areas that required a more cutting edge level of technology were simply out of the truer reaches of their hooves.
This is not to say that they simply gave up, no simply far from it. Taking whatever they could and putting all their mind power to it, Ibex scientists worked in spite of their technology desires of course because in their time they knew no more than what they had. In fact some Equestrian scientists would find Ibex work quite thought provoking, of course in Equestrian times a lot of the breakthroughs of the Ibex would be common knowledge but only because they were made.
There is one more group that is worth mentioning when it comes to the pursuit of the sciences and in this case the field of physics and that is the Druids. The Druids of the Ibex were not so arrogant to assume that their understanding of nature and the world as it was was enough to say they understood in, in fact most thought that they didn't know enough. As such various Druids banded together or in some cases worked alone to better understand specific aspects of the world so that they could better know how to use their abilities. When it came to the acts of physics it was mostly how things moved and worked in terms of motion. Knowing how liquids respond and why they do so is valuable knowledge for someone who manipulates it, with a deeper understanding beyond what you see, you are able to accomplish so much more.
Now simply because these groups had different goals did not mean they didn't work together, once again they were not so arrogant to assume that they knew better than the other. As such many coalitions were formed within the different scholarship communities, Having teams of goats with some that understood better how one aspect worked and others that understood better how others worked allowed for some brilliant progress. With these knowledge pursuits came advances in both Druidic powers and the further understanding of how the world worked.
-Biology
It goes without saying that a species that holds nature so dear would study the way that the plants and animals of the natural world work. Once again understanding how things work being a key bit of importance, not only that however this in particular strikes a chord of interest for many A'bek due to their affinity with animals and love of plants. One thankful thing about the field of Biology is that by definition its a little more down to earth than physics, this has allowed them to make more substantial breakthroughs in the field.
One of the most amazing things to consider is that the Ibex had developed their own microscopes using a series of highly reflective and focussed crystals, these were the tools that truly allowed the Ibex to explore the biological world in a new way. Understand how plants worked for the most part allowed for more efficient farming, knowing why sun and water were needed and what they were used for in the plant really went a long way to increased crop yield and was the main reason that the Ibex were able to feed their people so well. Along with that, knowing what they could take and what needed preserving and for what reasons were probably some of the more prolific breakthroughs for the Ibex as soon after they began many expansion projects for the jungle, spreading the natural world to the more desolate areas that had been left in other species wake.
This field of story also taught the Ibex that interference with nature can have ruinous effects, with some species going extinct due to outside interference. Never wanting to bring this shame upon themselves, the Ibex as such studied without changing anything. They did not take animals out of their habitat or introduce plants to see what may occur. Some might think that this was intentionally holding themselves back, but they saw it as only studying what was real and not creating things to study. There of course were always arguments to do more studying, but as scientific pursuits needed to be approved before hand so these complaints or arguments never usually lead to anything.
Because the Ibex believe themselves part of the world as much as the plants and animals and as such their biology study pursuits are not as extensive, or at least maybe not as far reaching as pony studies. It would be a simple statement to say that their studies are not as advanced as they could be, and while it may have a slight truth to it the matter is of perspective as the Ibex see biology as a study of the natural world and they believe that by not interfering their studies are as advanced as they need to be.
-Chemistry
Its odd that you would find some of the most advanced studies of the Ibex in the field of Chemistry, mainly due to the common idea that you would need some more advanced pieces of Equipment to truly make breakthroughs in the field. However despite this the Ibex are skilled chemists in several different ways, both in terms of study and practice. Once again the field and its studies are split between the scientific community and the Druidic community however in this field the ball is more within the court of the Druids. The reason for this is that the Druids were unknowingly performing the art of chemistry for hundreds of years with their potions and elixirs providing them an early if not unintentional insight into chemical mixtures, of course it wasn't until proper scientific method was applied that the true understanding of this could be achieved.
Chemical reactions are not the only thing that define what Chemistry is however and this is where the species seemed to fall slightly short, sadly they lacked lacked the knowledge capabilities to truly fathom the vast extents of chemistry. Atomic bonds and the nature of how the world and all of its components are formed and kept together was always a mystery to the Ibex, not for lack of trying however. Theories long existed about what made up the world, chemical bonds being one of them. However there was never one decided upon theory, what may seem obvious to ponies of the present day. This is simply a curious little note in the Ibex knowledge, their chemistry knowledge really began and ended with the nature of chemicals and their combinations.
There isn't much to say about the Ibex and chemistry all in all, it feels like they lack a large amount of knowledge on the subject but the truth is they could never agree on what was theorized. All they did know was chemicals, but in their defence they seemed to know it better than anyone.
-Technology
It should be said early on in the subject of technology that the Ibex never had electricity, this should give an impression of the vast difference of technology between the Ibex and Pony kind. However this doesn't mean that they were living in some kind of dark age, quite the opposite in fact. As stated before, the Ibex are much as much a race for progression as any, they do not let their love and respect of nature hold them back in such a way. However the Ibex progress constantly with consequences and ramifications of their actions in mind, they always must weigh up if a decision is beneficial in the long run of not only their empire but also the world itself.
The Ibex made great use of their nature-centric power when developing their technology, they do this because it is probably their greatest strength and allows them to make the most developments. Knowing the the earth had a power no one species would ever truly attain, the first developments were made in the pursuit of power. Raging torrents and rivers were plainly powerful, channelling that power using water wheels and complex irrigation systems to speed up farming and growing food was an early step for the Ibex. By using this early power method, the Ibex could funnel this productivity into more complex means of powering various mechanisms. Druids were at the forefront of these developments as they were connections and beacons of the earth's power itself. The turning point of development came when one legendary druid by the name of 'Terran Earthquaker' achieved one of the most powerful druidic spells imaginable, he was able to directly shoot a beam of pure life force. This was the earth's full power made manifest: the power of it spinning, the power of the plants, animals, it was pure power incarnate. This immediately prompted use of such epic power into mechanisms already invented and allowed for the development of new inventions.
Using specially tuned crystals found in their homelands to the north that seemed to reflect the natural world around wherever they grew, the Ibex were able to store this life force magic in fairly large quantities. By controlling growths of this crystal in thin strips underneath their cities, the Ibex were able to supply controlled bursts of power to large mechanisms that kept the cities running. From street lights to the irrigation control, the Ibex cities were a beacon of progress and development. These crystals were stored and contained in huge stone obelisks that had several carvings all over them, this was to not only contain the power but to also stop any chance of over charge or explosions. This contained magical power was easily the most significant leap in Ibex developments as it brought them to a technology level that wouldn't be seen again until modern pony times which gives a good idea to the technology levels of the Ibex.
However the developments or advancements of the Ibex never truly reached the levels of the Ponies, this magical power was not like electricity, it was too raw and uncontrolled, it varied depending on the state of the world, it hindered any major developments however at the time it was the most advanced thing so there was so development beyond it would take a while and that time never came due to the races sudden disappearance. Despite this severe limitation as modern ponies would see it, the Ibex had some of the amenities that modern species enjoy, simply in different ways. For example while it may not be technology persé, the Ibex did have an inter connected system of train like connections that were run by druids shifting the earth around large stone slabs supporting several passengers. These facsimile’s of modern inventions and functions using more rudimentary techniques or inventions. While not on the same technological level as the modern pony society, they were still probably the most advanced species of their time.
~Education.~
Education is seen as a keystone to civilization in the Ibex culture, teaching future generations the ideals of the time but giving them the freedom and capacity to think for themselves and make their own way forward. From an early age, children as taught and encouraged to seek more knowledge out. Like most things however it was never forced upon the children, they were given free reign to study what they liked however they were always pushed to give whatever they chose their all. A sense of tradition was often held at the hearts of the Ibex and many children chose to follow in their parents hoofsteps. One of the big allures in higher education is the University of Druidic arts, located in the Ibex capital and one of the most prestigious and welcoming schools in the world at the time. Located in a frankly ridiculous large red wood tree in the capital, this university teaches budding Ibex the art of Nature magic and what it means to be a Druid. The powers of a Druid and their super hero like qualities as saviours and police is what attracts most, although the knowledge can attract others. (More will be written on the druid school in the Capital city section of this guide)Many resources are put into the schooling systems in Ibex cities, taking on all who would learn and giving them the best education available. The government prided itself on its support of the education system, putting a lot of money into the system. Being a teacher was considered one of the most admirable jobs that an individual can hold, offers are made far and wide to teachers from all races as it is believed that no one race can know as much as another and that the smartest people would learn from others, as such many programmes were set up to trade tutors for years at a time, along with foreign exchange students, there were many foreign exchange tutors as well. The systems that were set in place allowed for a student to study and learn from some of the most learned minds the world had to offer, or travel to other lands to learn first hand what the world was like. Schools and universities alike also took on many foreign exchange students, with many schools building facilities and dorms just for the exchange students. Knowledge was seen as a universal treasure that no one race or country could horde to themselves, this was one of the reasons that the Ibex had such good standing with other nations.
This dedication to teaching led generations of intelligent and free thinking Ibex which is probably what lead to the Ibex's advanced civilisation leading up to their disappearance. Its sad that their teachings and extensive knowledge libraries and archives that covered science, research and Druidic knowledge was lost with their disappearance. Needless to say their attitude and execution toward education and their supporting programmes that reinforced it was what drove the rapid expanse and development of areas in Ibex community. The thirst for knowledge and learning spanned all generations but of course was not universal, some chose to drop out of school or not proceed to higher levels of education. It was pure choice but considering that education didn't cost money and instead was paid off with work in the subject field, most Ibex had higher educations under their pelts.
4. Family and Kinship.
The idea of family is perhaps the strongest bond in any culture or civilisation, the bond of blood is one that can never be broken. The Ibex family bond is an interesting one as there is both a universality to it, and a severe individuality to it. What this means is that a family is both close knit and far reaching, with family members going far and wide across the world but holding a love for their families in their hearts. The heart of a family lies with the love and bond between the mother and father of families, its worth noting that while divorce does exist in Ibex civilisation, couples only ever marry when their love is pure and tested over the years so its severely rare. It is advised that a couple are together for 10 years before starting a family to maintain a population and to also make sure that a family bond starts off strong.
The Ibex empire is a matriarchal rules society in the sense that the government and Empire is run by the High Empress but that does not mean any one gender rules more than others when it comes to societal or family life, the way families are run usually varies but there is a mutual respect and trust between partners that means that most decisions are made without talking to each other but will often be the same decision that their partner would have made. Parents usually work separate careers and do not live and die for each other, being individuals as much as a couple. Its this kind of dynamic and trust that really makes the Ibex family a strong bond. When a couple decides to move forward and have a baby, there is little difference from a pony birth. Most pregnancies are planned as its just a social custom, population control is always a key point with the Ibex as they know that too many of any on species will drag on nature more than can be handled. It is not a topic that is policed but all Ibex know it and do their own parts to keep to it.
The Ibex raise their children with integrity and freedom in mind, nurturing them to be smart and free thinking individuals that will go on to do the world good. Parenting is a mix of distant watching and close teaching that allows children to develop their own way. Thankfully this allowance of freedom leads to most kids being well developed and less prone to rebellion or outbursts, but of course it can still happen. This is all generalization and of course there are always individuals and exceptions to rules. The individuality instilled in Ibex children does not mean they are all loners however, it means they are free to chose their own paths and friends and most friends are all groups of same minded individuals who's friendship is based on mutual interests and thinking and will usually feature several different species from all over. Ibex are very accommodating and think of a friend of a different species as the same as an Ibex friend and in fact the difference between the two never crosses their mind, all that matters to an Ibex is personality. This can cause some issues with different societies who operate differently but being most peaceful and diplomatic, it never develops into full problems.
As children age and begin to go further afield in pursuits of career or adventure, families naturally drift apart with a sense of understanding and pride. A son or daughter could leave to travel the world and their parents would be proud and happy to see them go, of course both sides would be sad to see each other go but its never a reason to stop an individual. They know that it is the right path because it was one chosen, a travelling Ibex may think of home fondly but never miss it in the sense that they yearn to return. They always keep in mind of their happy memories and it will make them smile and keep going so that they can return home one day with tales that will amaze and fill the hearts of their parents with pride. Of course some do chose to stay within range of their birth homes and parents, occasional visits are a common thing but are not thought of as mandatory. A child moving out to their own home with their own career is seen as a point of success and a landmark for both the child and parents and is never thought of by the parents as a relief or a loss. This is where the concept of a far reaching but tightly knit family comes into things, they hold a dear love of each other but do not hold them to required visits or stress them with guilt or expectance.
The close knit nature of the Ibex family ethic and their friendship ties are a great example of why the Ibex were just a great people, take away their magic and their technology and they would still just be a nice, friendly and peaceful species that want nothing but the betterment of the world, themselves and others.